"Texas Cow Town" Fort Worth by grandmaR

Fort Worth Travel Guide: 891 reviews and 1,880 photos

Longhorns on Exchange Street - Fort Worth

Armour-Swift Sign

In 1849 Fort Worth was a military post to protect struggling ranchers from Indian attacks. After the Army left, it became a trading post, and after the Civil War the dusty trails were filled with longhorns.

In 1873, when the first railroad stopped short of Fort Worth in Dallas, there was a panic, but Fort Worth's citizens convinced the Texas and Pacific Railroad that they could finish the last 26 miles of track before the land grant expired in 1876. Everyone who could swing a pick helped lay the rails. Once the railroad was completed, Fort Worth became the "capital" of the Southwestern cattle country. By the end of the 19th century, stockyards ringed the city and the great meatpacking houses moved in. Then with the oil boom in 1912, the population tripled in two decades.

Fort Worth combines skyscrapers and historic buildings. Shops and gaslit buildings line Exchange Street in the Stockyard District.

Crowds waiting for the cattle drive

While the west begins in Fort Worth, Dallas is where the east peters out. Fort Worth with about a half million people has also been know as Panther City (because of reports of bobcat sightings) and Cowtown.

Because the two cities share the large Dallas Fort Worth airport there has been some rivalry between the two cities. Fort Worth thinks that the citizens of Dallas are snobs, and Dallas thinks that Fort Worth is an overgrown rambunctions cowboy town.

Last visit to Fort Worth: May 2004
Intro Updated Sep 26, 2007
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Reviews (26)

Hotel from across the street - Fort Worth

Victorian, Mountain Man, Cowboy or... Hotels (1)

I have not stayed in this hotel. Information from their website. "Erected by Colonel William Thannisch at the corner of... more travel advice

Western Clothing Shopping (4)

White Front Western Store was established in 1902 and the Fincher Family purchased it in 1967. I have not been to this... more travel advice

Iron Furniture Shopping (4)

This guy set up on Exchange street and put his wares out on the curb. I don't know where he is from (although the phone... more travel advice

Bob, our daughter and granddaughter on a bench - Fort Worth

Texas Art Shopping (4)

We went into several shops in the Stockyard Station. This is a big store which has artworks (paintings and prints, both... more travel advice

Off The Beaten Path (5)
See All Cattle Handling Demonstration
Things to Do (3)
See All TEXAS Cowboys
Local Customs (2)
See All A 19th Century Drover in the 21st...
Favorites (2)
See All Texas Trail of Fame

Warnings and Dangers (1)
Stay out of the Way
Transportation (4)
See All Paid Parking
Restaurants (4)
See All Tex-Mex
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Comments (3)

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FinePickens Apr 4, 2006 at 1:56 PM

I'm in Ft. Worth, so I found your page. You get FinePicken's "I've been everywhere award" for today. Think I'll go to Billy Bob's tonight. code word Dauer
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pedersdottir Nov 22, 2004 at 10:06 PM

Very good page on the rustic corner of a cozy town - hats off to you!
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dshinkle Sep 1, 2004 at 9:41 AM

Nice Fort Worth page! I love Dallas, but I've never been to Fort Worth. The Cowtown Cattlepen Maze looks like something kids would love.